Dogs are known as man’s best friend for a reason. These phenomenally emotionally-literate creatures are the perfect companion for humans because they have so many ways of communicating. However, as dogs are primarily non-verbal it can be difficult for owners to fully understand what our four-legged friends are trying to tell us.

Dogs depend on their human masters to provide them with the basic necessities (as well as lots and lots of cuddles and TLC). Therefore, it’s crucial that we take our duties as caregivers seriously and take the time to learn not only how to communicate with them but also how listen to them. Much like in human interactions, canine communication is a two-way street.

“Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.”

~ Orhan Pamuk, Author

In order to understand your dog’s state of mind, you must focus your attention on several key areas:

• Facial expressions
• Body posture
• Barks
• Ears
• Tails

By observing these you can learn a lot about what your dog is feeling in that moment. However, you must also take care to factor in the context as oftentimes the same gesture can mean different things. For example, baring teeth can be the sign of both a submissive or an aggressive dog and yawning could convey both tiredness as well as excitement.

“When most of us talk to our dogs, we tend to forget they’re not people”.

~ Julia Glass, Author

The featured infographic guide below is from the team at Greyhounds as Pets and looks at the science of canine communication and offers some handy pointers on how to interpret key doggie signals. It also shows you more ways to effectively communicate with and understand your and explains the many different ways in which dogs communicate. 

Check out the infographic below to learn more!